William Staughton
Encyclopedia
William Staughton was a Baptist clergyman, educator, and music composer. He was also a Chaplain of the United States Senate
and the first President of Columbian College from 1821-1827, which is the original name and oldest division (1821) of The George Washington University.
Staughton was born on January 4, 1770 in Coventry
, Warwickshire
, England
to Sutton and Keziah Staughton. In 1792, he graduated from Bristol Baptist College and moved to Charleston, South Carolina in 1793. After marrying Maria Hanson shortly after his arrival, he preached in Georgetown, South Carolina for approximately two years. In 1795, Staughton moved to York City and then to Bordentown, New Jersey, where he preached at a Baptist church, headed an academy, and was ordained a Baptist minister on June 17, 1797. He continued his educational studies at Princeton University
and received a Doctor of Divinity in 1801. From 1805 to 1811, Staughton fulfilled pastorship positions at the First Baptist Church in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (1805-1811) and the Sansom Street Church (1811-1822). Concurrently, Staughton also acted as the designated tutor of the Baptist Education Society of America of the Middle States, founded the Philadelphia Bible Society, helped organize the Triennial Convention from 1814-1826, and served as the Principal of the Theological Department of the Triennial Convention in 1817.
When the Columbian College opened on January 9, 1822, William Staughton presided as President. He also taught theological and classical courses at the College, including General History, Belles Lettres, Rhetoric, Moral Philosophy and Divinity, and Pulpit Eloquence. During his tenure as President, Staughton simultaneously served as Chaplin of the Congress for two session. After five years serving as President, Staughton resigned due to the College's financial troubles and dispute among the Board of Trustees regarding the Theology and Classic Departments.
William accepted a position as President of the Literary and Theological Institution of Georgetown College in Georgetown, Kentucky in September 1829. However, while making the journey to the College, Staughton died on December 12, 1929. He was originally buried in the District of Columbia's Episcopal cemetery, but his body was later moved to Philadelphia's Sansom Street Church Cemetery.
In addition to his pastoral and educator careers, Staughton also wrote poems, sermons, discourses, lyrics, and hymns. In fact, several of his hymns can be found in the Baptist Hymn Book of 1825. He made literary contributions to The Latter Day Luminary and edited The Words of Virgil, as well as A Compendious System of Greek Grammar by Edward Wetenhall. Staughton was also a member of the American Philosphical Society.
Chaplain of the United States Senate
The Chaplain of the United States Senate opens each session of the United States Senate with a prayer, and provides and coordinates religious programs and pastoral care support for Senators, their staffs, and their families. The Chaplain is appointed by a majority vote of the members of the Senate...
and the first President of Columbian College from 1821-1827, which is the original name and oldest division (1821) of The George Washington University.
Staughton was born on January 4, 1770 in Coventry
Coventry
Coventry is a city and metropolitan borough in the county of West Midlands in England. Coventry is the 9th largest city in England and the 11th largest in the United Kingdom. It is also the second largest city in the English Midlands, after Birmingham, with a population of 300,848, although...
, Warwickshire
Warwickshire
Warwickshire is a landlocked non-metropolitan county in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Warwick, although the largest town is Nuneaton. The county is famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
to Sutton and Keziah Staughton. In 1792, he graduated from Bristol Baptist College and moved to Charleston, South Carolina in 1793. After marrying Maria Hanson shortly after his arrival, he preached in Georgetown, South Carolina for approximately two years. In 1795, Staughton moved to York City and then to Bordentown, New Jersey, where he preached at a Baptist church, headed an academy, and was ordained a Baptist minister on June 17, 1797. He continued his educational studies at Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
and received a Doctor of Divinity in 1801. From 1805 to 1811, Staughton fulfilled pastorship positions at the First Baptist Church in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (1805-1811) and the Sansom Street Church (1811-1822). Concurrently, Staughton also acted as the designated tutor of the Baptist Education Society of America of the Middle States, founded the Philadelphia Bible Society, helped organize the Triennial Convention from 1814-1826, and served as the Principal of the Theological Department of the Triennial Convention in 1817.
When the Columbian College opened on January 9, 1822, William Staughton presided as President. He also taught theological and classical courses at the College, including General History, Belles Lettres, Rhetoric, Moral Philosophy and Divinity, and Pulpit Eloquence. During his tenure as President, Staughton simultaneously served as Chaplin of the Congress for two session. After five years serving as President, Staughton resigned due to the College's financial troubles and dispute among the Board of Trustees regarding the Theology and Classic Departments.
William accepted a position as President of the Literary and Theological Institution of Georgetown College in Georgetown, Kentucky in September 1829. However, while making the journey to the College, Staughton died on December 12, 1929. He was originally buried in the District of Columbia's Episcopal cemetery, but his body was later moved to Philadelphia's Sansom Street Church Cemetery.
In addition to his pastoral and educator careers, Staughton also wrote poems, sermons, discourses, lyrics, and hymns. In fact, several of his hymns can be found in the Baptist Hymn Book of 1825. He made literary contributions to The Latter Day Luminary and edited The Words of Virgil, as well as A Compendious System of Greek Grammar by Edward Wetenhall. Staughton was also a member of the American Philosphical Society.
External Links
- The William Staughton Online Collection, Special Collections Research Center, Estelle and Melvin Gelman Library, The George Washington University.